


full story on page 15!

by marmolita



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Ficlet, Fluff, Getting Together, Humor, Insomnia's Sexiest Bachelor, M/M, Paparazzi, Press and Tabloids, Secret Crush
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-12
Updated: 2018-02-12
Packaged: 2019-03-17 04:17:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,396
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13651275
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marmolita/pseuds/marmolita
Summary: It starts when Noctis is barely fifteen years old, when his voice has firmly settled into a soft baritone and the boyish roundness has faded from his face.  The reputable papers print headlines likePrince Noctis Begins High School, but the tabloid headlines are more along the lines ofPrince of Our Hearts: Sudden Heartthrob Noctis Takes High School By Storm, andCrown Prince Noctis Turns Flirty Fifteen.





	full story on page 15!

**Author's Note:**

> For the Ignoct Week timed quest: "media darlings or tabloid trash?" Warnings: contains tabloids speculating on teenage Noctis's (nonexistent) love life.

It starts when Noctis is barely fifteen years old, when his voice has firmly settled into a soft baritone and the boyish roundness has faded from his face. The reputable papers print headlines like _Prince Noctis Begins High School_ , but the tabloid headlines are more along the lines of _Prince of Our Hearts: Sudden Heartthrob Noctis Takes High School By Storm_ , and _Crown Prince Noctis Turns Flirty Fifteen_.

Ignis sends letters on Citadel letterhead to them asking that they respect His Majesty's wishes that his son grow up in peace, like a normal child, but it's no use. The only blessing is that Noctis doesn't seem to notice or care -- not at first anyway. Not until one evening, when Ignis comes to his apartment and finds a particularly trashy tabloid on his kitchen table, featuring a photo of Noctis and Prompto laughing together on their way out of school, with a bright yellow headline of _Secret Romance for Teen Prince Noctis?_

"Noct?" he asks, and Noctis groans from where he's sprawled on the sofa. "Why do you have this piece of garbage on your table?"

Noctis looks over at him, at first confused, then follows his gaze to the magazine. "Ugh. Prompto brought it over, he thought it was hilarious."

"I see." Ignis flips the magazine open to find several more pictures of the two of them walking together, smiling and carefree. "Did you realize you were being followed by a photographer?"

"I'm always being followed by photographers," Noctis replies. "But no, not really. Prompto's not gonna get in trouble, is he?"

"I don't see why he would. Unless, of course, you _are_ having a secret romance with him?"

Noctis snorts. "Yeah, right."

Ignis can't say why he finds himself so strangely relieved.

*

It happens every six months or so. Usually it's photos of Noctis and Prompto, caught in some "compromising" position: Noctis with Prompto in a headlock, or the two of them wrestling over a game controller at the arcade. When Noctis is sixteen, there's a cover and a whole spread in _Insomnia Weekly_ full of photos of Noctis and Gladio training, both shirtless and covered in sweat. The headline is _Prince Noctis's Sexy Shield: Training Partner or Lover?_

They all have a good laugh at that one, though afterwards Gladio frowns and says he'll have to speak to Cor about improving security. It runs the same week as another magazine features a photo of Prompto crowding Noctis into a sticker picture booth, his hand unfortunately placed on Noctis's hip. The result of these warring factions shows up, of course, in a third magazine, which prints on its cover a photo of Noctis looking confused, with a photo of Gladio on one side and Prompto on the other, and a headline of _Relationship Troubles! Will Prince Noctis Choose Teenage Love or Grown Up Brawn?_

Ignis nearly doubles over laughing when he sees it on the news stand, and he buys three copies just to make sure Gladio and Prompto each get their own.

It's not until Noctis is seventeen that Ignis finds himself in the public eye, caught on camera with one of Noctis's hands held in his own and his other hand on Noctis's back, helping him into the car. Noctis came down with a fever at school, Ignis remembers, and was too woozy to get in without help. He held out his arm so that Noctis could lower himself in slowly. _The Prince's Advisor, or More?_ the headline reads. Strangely enough, this is the one that makes Noctis uncomfortable. Ignis shrugs it off and focuses instead on making sure Noctis is fully recovered from his bout of the flu.

They don't stop there. The next time it's a telephoto lens shot of Ignis handing Noctis a stack of reports, then one of Noctis alone at a coffeeshop paired with one of Ignis at the same coffeeshop. The headline on that one isn't even entirely false; Noctis _was_ buying coffee for Ignis, because he was cooped up studying for an exam for his degree and Noctis was a kind person who knew exactly what his friends needed.

Gladio and Ignis get caught having a disagreement about Noctis's training schedule, and the next day the magazines are covered with _Fight for the Prince's Heart! But Where Is His High School Sweetheart?_ Prompto and Ignis are seen talking together while waiting for Noctis and it turns into _A Royal Threesome?_ A photo of a gaggle of girls staring after Noctis is labeled _Insomnia High's Jilted Girls_.

Ignis thinks on more than one occasion that he should stop looking at the tabloids. However, it's part of his job to be apprised of public opinion, so he really does need to stay on top of things. Over the years it gets more uncomfortable to see photos of himself gazing across the table at Noctis while Noctis is looking away, or of the fond way he smiles at his prince. It's revealing a little too much. No matter how false the headlines may be, it's becoming harder and harder to deny that Noctis has indeed grown into an attractive young man, and Ignis is only a bare two years older than him. Gladio may be only interested in women, and he has no idea what Prompto's thoughts are on the matter, but Ignis himself is attracted to men. He can't help the way his interest in his prince has begun to shamefully grow. As for what Noctis is thinking, well, he's rather an enigma when it comes to matters of the heart. Aside from the notebook he shares with Lady Lunafreya, he's never spoken of anyone else with interest.

It's part of why Ignis is content to allow himself to look, and to dream. If there's no possibility of his desires becoming reality, then it's safe.

At least, that's what he thinks, up until the day he's confronted with a mountain of evidence he can't deny.

"I want you to look at something," Noctis tells him when he comes over for dinner. He's got papers spread out all over his table, and Ignis frowns as he recognizes pages from _Insomnia Sun_ and a variety of other magazines.

"What exactly am I looking at?" Ignis asks. The photos are all of the two of them, mostly of Ignis gazing longingly at Noctis, and Ignis feels his cheeks heating up and tries to tamp it down.

"The ones of Gladio and Prompto aren't like this," Noctis says. Ignis can feel Noctis's gaze on him, but he doesn't meet it. "Is this just a trick of the light? Because the more of these I see, the more I think maybe . . . "

Ignis clears his throat. "The tabloids have been reporting falsehoods about your love life for years, Highness."

"Then you're--" Noctis clears his throat, and Ignis looks up to see that his face is flushed as well. "You're not attracted to me?"

He freezes, uncertain what Noctis wants him to say. Noctis knows, of course, that he prefers men. Is this a matter of Noctis's self-confidence? Or is he actually asking about Ignis's feelings? "You're a very attractive man," he says carefully.

"Kind of figured that from being voted 'Insomnia's Sexiest Bachelor' last year," Noctis says wryly. "That's not what I was asking." He moves closer, into Ignis's space, and Ignis swallows thickly. "Are you attracted to me?"

"I . . . yes," he confesses, adjusting his glasses. "I apologize for any trouble this might cause you."

"Ignis," Noctis says, and suddenly their faces are very close together. "I'm going to kiss you, okay?"

Ignis is speechless, staring in surprise as Noctis closes the distance between them without waiting for an answer. Their lips collide clumsily, off-center and too hard. Noctis pulls away and looks at him shyly, as if embarrassed by his own daring, eyes full of hope and fear, and all of the reasons why this is a terrible idea are suddenly out of Ignis's reach. He sways forward and kisses Noctis back, this time with better aim.

When they separate again, Noctis is smiling, and Ignis finds himself following suit. "Well," he says, "I suppose the tabloids will have some more to write about now."

*

The photo of the two of them holding hands in the coffee shop is grainy and clearly taken from a distance. Ignis clips it and saves it anyway.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to r3zuri for beta and introductory for encouragement!


End file.
